


Pierced

by Stacy LA Stronach (slashgirl)



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: AU Fic, Case Fic, M/M, cm challenge on lj fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-20
Updated: 2009-12-20
Packaged: 2017-12-05 09:34:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/721559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashgirl/pseuds/Stacy%20LA%20Stronach
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU where Reid never joined the BAU but is, instead, a librarian in a small Nevada town who notices a pattern with recent murders and convinces the local police to bring in the BAU. Thus he meets Hotch. This is also a casefic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pierced

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ansera](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=ansera).



> Written for ansera for the cm exchange on LJ for her prompt: Reid/Hotch: AU with Reid not in the BAU. He meets them through a case. Reid should still be Reid -he shouldn't be a pushover or anything. 
> 
> Because this is an AU in which Reid never worked for the BAU, The Fisher King never happened—thus Elle was never shot and didn't shoot William Lee and leave the BAU. However, Gideon _did_ walk away and Rossi rejoined the team; Hotch's divorce also happened. This is set current day and Gallant is a made up town.
> 
> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, nebula99, as always.

Gallant, Nevada

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you up to the house?" Summer Vance asked her boyfriend, Kevin Chambers as he got out of her car.

Kevin walked around to the driver's side of Summer's car and leaned in the open window. The breeze blew his shoulder length brown hair in a small halo around his head. "Summer, I'll be fine. I've walked our driveway a billion times," he said. He cupped the side of her face, fingers tangling in her blonde hair. "Stop worrying." He leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss against her lips. "Love you."

Summer smiled. "Love you, too." She glanced at the dashboard clock. "Damn, I better get a move on or I'll be late."

"Oh, five minutes late, can't have that," Kevin teased.

"You know what my dad's like," she said. "I'll pick you up tomorrow for school, okay?"

"Yeah, see you later, baby. Drive carefully!" Kevin said. He stood up and stepped back from the car, tapping the driver's side door. He watched as his girlfriend pulled back onto the road, waiting until the taillights were small specks in the distance.

Kevin started up the long driveway to his house. Truth be told, he liked walking at night—especially on cool, clear nights like this one. The moon was almost full, illuminating the landscape with pale light.

He'd only been walking for a couple minutes when he thought he heard movement in the bushes that lined the driveway. Stopping for a moment, Kevin listened and didn't hear anything else and figured it was just an animal and started walking again. A few seconds later, he thought he heard footsteps behind him and he spun around to see nothing behind him. He shook his head, figuring that Summer's nervousness was making him hear things. 

Kevin turned back toward his house and let out a gasp of surprise at the man standing in the road in front of him. "Who are you?" 

"That doesn't matter, Kevin. You and Summer are just to _cute_ for words, I have to say," the man said as he started walking toward Kevin.

Kevin stared at the other man for a moment—he was tall and slender, but he had a hoodie pulled up over his head and Kevin couldn't make out his features. He started to back up, he knew, could feel that this guy was bad news.

The other man looked over Kevin's shoulder. "This one is going to be sweet, don't you think, Fergie?"

Turning around again, Kevin saw that there was another man. He was similar in build to the first guy, only he wasn't wearing a hoodie; he was good looking with shoulder length curly dark hair.

Fergie smiled at his partner and said softly, "Yeah, I think you're right, Carson."

Kevin looked to either side of him. He had to get out of here, these guys were just wrong. Before he could make a move, Carson wrapped something around his neck; Kevin didn't know if it was a rope or a belt, but it was being pulled tight. He grabbed at it, struggling to get air, even as Fergie grabbed his arms, pulling them down by his sides. The last thing Kevin heard was Fergie whispering, "I'm sorry."

Gallant, Nevada  
Five days after Kevin Chambers' abduction

Dr. Spencer Reid unlocked the front door of the library after picking up the local paper which was sitting on the front step, as usual. Once inside, he locked the door behind him; the library didn't open to the public for another two hours. He made his way through the main room to his office.

Once in his office Reid set his coffee and bagel on his desk and put the paper beside them before setting his brown leather satchel on the floor beside his desk. He dropped into his chair with a sigh and opened the newspaper while picking up his coffee to take a sip. Reid frowned at the main story—another young man had been found murdered. There weren't too many details to go on, but it bothered him. 

Reid opened the file drawer in his desk and reached into the back, pulling out file folder and opening that. He didn't have to re-read the articles, he had an eidetic memory, but he still looked through them. It was too similar, too much of a coincidence. He had to say something, he couldn't keep what he thought he knew to himself anymore. Spencer Reid was certain there was a serial killer in Gallant. He picked up his phone and dialled the sheriff's home number, knowing she wouldn’t be into work yet.

BAU Round Table Room  
Washington, DC  
Seven days after Kevin Chambers' abduction

JJ Jareau waited until her team mates were settled in their seats before beginning. She clicked the remote, bringing up a picture of a young man's body. "Gallant, Nevada. This is Kevin Chambers. Seventeen years old. He went missing a week ago today; his body was found near the end of his parents' driveway six days ago." She clicked through the crime scene pictures. "He was raped repeatedly and, as you can see, his body was mutilated." 

Elle squinted at the picture. "What are those things all over his body?"

"Body jewellery. Its part of the mutilation—according to Kevin's parents, the only piercings he had before were his ears and an eyebrow piercing."

Morgan looked through the pictures in his folder and shook his head. "The unsub really did a job on him—nose, lips, tongue, nipples, genitals and random piercings on his front and back. And they were all pre-mortem. That'd hurt and take some time."

"And then the cuts all over the body—they look random and like our unsub is very, very angry with young men," Rossi added.

"That's not all," JJ said, hitting the remote again, bringing up similar pictures of another young man. "This is Jamie Horsvald. His body was found a month ago—he'd also been raped and mutilated in the same way." JJ paused for a moment. "There's very little to go on, forensically speaking. However, the main reason the Gallant PD contacted us is that there have been at least six other similar killings in the surrounding towns in the last year." 

She clicked the remote, bringing up pictures of the other victims. "All male and all between the ages of 16 to 25, all raped and mutilated—although, as you can see, the cutting has gotten worse and the piercings more involved."

"Jurisdictional nightmare," Morgan muttered.

JJ shook her head. "Not really. Gallant's sheriff, Jen Wilson, has already coordinated with the other police departments and arranged to head this investigation, since three of the bodies were found within Gallant's boundaries. And, according to Sheriff Wilson, most of the cops out there haven't seen this type of murder."

"And she has?" Elle asked.

JJ nodded. "Yeah, Wilson worked in Baltimore in their Homicide division for ten years."

Rossi snorted. "Then she's seen her share of murders. Good of her to get the boundary issues sorted out before she called."

Hotch flipped through the folder in front of him. "Interesting—all the bodies were washed and then wrapped in clean sheets—and with all but the last victim, they were buried or covered. That usually means he knew the victim—or felt guilty." 

"But that level of mutilation—the unsub is obviously angry, why would he care after the victim was dead?" Elle asked.

Hotch shook his head. "I don't know, but I do think we need to go to Gallant." He closed the folder. "JJ, get Garcia to check for more murders like this—there may be more, this doesn't strike me as someone who is new to killing," he said. Hotch looked at his team. "Okay, wheels up in 20."

 

Gallant, Nevada  
Gallant Police Department  
8 hours later

As the team walked into the foyer of the Gallant PD, JJ spotted Sheriff Wilson immediately. She was in her mid 40s, with blunt cut black hair and warm brown eyes. Wilson noticed them and walked out from behind the desk, smiling at them.

JJ held out her hand. "Sheriff Wilson? I'm JJ Jareau, we spoke on the phone."

"Agent Jareau. Thanks for coming out here."

"No problem," JJ replied. She turned and introduced the team. "This is our team—SSAs Hotchner, Rossi, Morgan and Greenaway."

Wilson nodded to the team. "Glad you're here. Follow me, I've got one of our conference rooms set up for you."

"Thanks," JJ said as they followed Wilson.

The team started unpacking their files. JJ and Elle got the case information pinned up on the bulletin boards.

Hotch looked at Wilson. "Thank you for getting the jurisdictional issues sorted out for us—that can cause some real problems in an investigation."

Wilson nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'll have to say it wasn't too hard for me to get put in charge of it; most of the others out here haven't seen a murder in years before these recent ones and soon as I said 'serial killer' most of them were eyeing the door to see how fast they could get out of the room," she said with a bit of laugh.

"I understand you worked Baltimore Homicide—did you work any serial cases there?" Hotch asked.

"Only as part of an extended task force supporting the primary detective on the case."

"I'm glad you thought to call us in."

"Well, to be honest, I didn't even realise that we might have a serial here. It was Dr. Reid that brought it to my attention. He also suggested contacting the BAU," Wilson explained.

"Dr. Reid? Is he a local doctor?" asked Hotch.

Wilson chuckled. "In a manner of speaking. He's not a medical doctor, he's got a buncha Ph. Ds and he's really good with statistics and stuff. Has an eidetic memory, too. He's the librarian at the town library."

"And he's the one who approached you?"

"Yes, sir. Why?"

"It's not uncommon for the unsub to insert themselves into an investigation. It makes them think they're smarter than the police," Hotch said.

Wilson looked doubtful. "I dunno. Doc Reid doesn't seem the type. But then I guess they never do. Besides, beyond pointing out the pattern and suggesting we ask you folks in, he hasn't been involved in the investigation."

Hotch nodded. "We'll still need to check him out." He dialled Garcia on his phone. 

"Fount of all wisdom. Ask and knowledge shall be yours!"

"Garcia, I need background on a Dr. Spencer Reid—Ph. D., not medical; he works at the town library."

"Okay, just give me a second here…," Garcia replied, her fingers flying over her keyboard. "Dr. Spencer Reid, born and raised in Las Vegas…oh, he's a genius, certified. IQ of 187, eidetic memory—he graduated high school at 13, three doctorates by the age of 20—one each in Engineering, Mathematics and Psychology. Got his MLS at 21. 

"Oh, poor boy. His father left when he was 8, his mother is a paranoid schizophrenic—he had her institutionalised at Bennington Sanatorium outside of Vegas when he was 18. He moved to Gallant three years ago, when he was 24 to become the librarian at the town library. Hmm, Dr. Reid, how do you pay for your mom's care? Ah, he travels back to Vegas several times a year and goes to the casinos, earning just enough extra to pay for it but not so much that he gets himself banned. He's got no criminal record, either. That's all I've got on him."

"Thanks, Garcia," Hotch said. He looked at the team. "I think we need to pay Dr. Reid a visit. I'll go there; Morgan, you and Elle go and visit the latest dump site. Dave and JJ, you go with Sheriff Wilson and talk to Summer and then Kevin's family."

As the others were getting ready to leave, Hotch took Wilson aside. "I saw there's a library across the street—is that where Dr. Reid works?"

Wilson nodded. "Yeah. He should be there—library closes at 6."

"Thanks," Hotch said.

Hotch walked outside the police department and crossed the road to the library. He walked inside, glad of the air conditioning after his brief stint in the hot Nevada sun. Hotch approached the main desk, pulling his credentials out of his pocket. There was a young woman behind the desk sorting through some paperwork. "Excuse me," Hotch said.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Yes, how can I help you?"

Hotch held up his ID. "I'm Agent Hotchner with the FBI. Is Dr. Reid here?"

She looked at the badge for a moment and nodded. "He sure is. Just give me a moment and I'll go get him," she said, turning around. She paused and looked over her shoulder. "He's not in any trouble is he?"

Hotch shook his head. "No, ma'am. We're hoping he can help us with something."

She didn't say anything but continued on her way, walking through a doorway at the end of short hallway behind the desk.

A couple minutes later she returned, followed by a tall young man. His shoulder length honey brown hair curled around his neck and his hazel eyes were emphasised by the thick black rims of his glasses. He wore brown dress pants and a tan checked shirt with a lightweight tan cardigan over top.

"Agent Hotchner? I'm Dr. Spencer Reid. You wanted to see me?" he asked, reaching out to shake Hotch's hand. 

Hotch met Reid's gaze and as their hands touched, he felt a frisson of…something pass through him. He managed to keep his expression neutral and wondered at it. "Yes, Dr. Reid. Would you be able to come over to the station with me?"

Reid smiled. "Of course." He turned and spoke to the young woman. "Kelly, I shouldn't be too long and I'll just be across the street if you need me." Reid looked at Hotch again.

"After you," Hotch said and followed Reid as the other man led the way through the library. Once they were outside, Reid glanced at Hotch. "I know you're interviewing me because serial killers often like to integrate themselves into an investigation. Other than reading the paper and realising there seemed to be a pattern to the killings and then letting Jen know, I haven't had any further involvement."

"That's right, Dr. Reid. We still need to speak to you," Hotch said. He held the door of the police station open and let Reid precede him into the building. "Just down here," Hotch instructed, pointing to the conference room the team was using.

Hotch observed Reid as the other man walked into the room and sat down at one of the tables, facing the boards with the crime scene photos on them. Reid didn't seem disturbed by them; he looked at them with almost clinical interest. 

Hotch closed the door and sat at the table opposite Reid. "You don't seem to find the pictures upsetting," he said.

Reid tilted his head and was quiet for a moment. "Well, Agent Hotchner, I did my post doc in aberrant and criminal psychology and focused on serial killers. I…didn't get used to seeing those sorts of pictures, but was able to look at them on a clinical level—which I'm sure you're used to doing, too."He paused. "One of your colleagues, Jason Gideon, approached me shortly after my dissertation was published, trying to recruit me to the BAU. Is he with you on this case?"

Hotch shook his head. "No, Agent Gideon left the Bureau a few months ago. David Rossi came out of retirement to replace him."

Reid grinned and leaned forward. "David Rossi? One of the founders of the BAU? I'd love to meet him—" he stopped and looked down, a faint blush on his cheeks. He bit his lip, embarrassed. "Sorry. I suppose I sound like a bit of a fan boy. I've read his books—and I admire all the work he and the others did to bring the BAU into existence."

Barely managing to suppress a grin, Hotch found himself thinking how…. _cute_ Dr. Reid looked. Pushing the odd thought out of his mind, Hotch forced himself to think about the job at hand. His instincts were telling him that Reid had nothing to do with the killings, but he had to try and make sure, or as sure as he could. "I'll see what I can do about introducing you to Rossi," Hotch said. "Now, how did you figure out there might be a serial killer?"

Clearing his throat, Reid folded his hands on the table in front of him. "By reading the paper—we get the local papers for the area and I read them all. I'm also very good at noticing patterns—it's just the way my brain works. After the fourth body, I thought there might be something, but I didn't feel I could really justify it to Jen. I know a lot about serial killers, but I'm not an expert or anything; I didn't want her wasting her time if it wasn't. But the last two convinced me I had to say something…just in case."

"You said earlier that Sheriff Wilson hasn't given you any more information about the case?"

Reid shook his head. "No, she's far too professional for that. All I did was call her and tell her what I thought. I also suggested she contact the BAU—I know she's got lots of experience from working in Baltimore, but serial killings aren't typical murders. Any thing else I've found out about the case, I've read in the papers," Reid said. "And the latest victim, Kevin Chambers, went missing about a week ago, right?"

Hotch nodded. "That's right."

"Well, I definitely couldn't've abducted him as I was in Toronto for a library conference and then I spent a couple days visiting with my mother."

"We'll check it out," Hotch said. He figured Reid's story would check out—and he felt that Reid wasn't truly inserting himself into the investigation. His actions made sense in the framework of his experience and education. "I'd like to thank—" Hotch stopped speaking, he was watching Reid.

Reid stood up and was starring at the photo of Kevin Chambers' torso and back, face creased into a frown. He reached out a finger and started tracing it over the piercings. He glanced at Hotch. "Did you notice the patterns here?"

"No, is there one?" Hotch asked. 

Reid nodded. "Do you have a marker—and can I draw on these photos?"

Hotch handed Reid a marker. "Knock yourself out." He watched Reid connect the piercings on Chambers' torso and when he was done, Hotch still didn't see anything. Reid then traced the ones on Chambers' back. Again, nothing Hotch really recognised. "What are they?"

Reid pointed to the first patterns he'd traced. "This one is the astrological glyph for Taurus and it's intertwined with the glyph for Pisces. The other one," he said as he pointed to it, "has the symbols for the planets Venus and Neptune. In the astrological belief system, Venus is the ruling planet of Taurus and Neptune of Pisces, although it was originally Jupiter, before the outer planets were discovered, several signs shared planets as rulers—" Reid stopped abruptly. "Um, sorry. I kinda get carried away sometimes."

Hotch smiled. "Not a problem. What do you think it means, if anything?"

Reid thought for a moment. "Most likely it'd be the sun signs of your unsubs. One was born when western astrology says the sun was in Taurus, which is generally the 19th of April until the 20th of May, while the sun is in Pisces from about the 18th of February to the 20th of March. In reality, the actual constellations no longer line up with the astrological dates because of the procession of the equinoxes—" Reid stopped again. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Is there any pattern to the stab wounds?"

"No, at least none that I can perceive," Reid replied. "Were the piercings done with a needle or a piercing gun, do you know?"

"I can check the autopsy report, see if it's mentioned," Hotch said. He grabbed the file and scanned through it. "It says here they were done with needles. Why?"

"Professional body piercers use needles, not piercing guns—even for ear piercings. The guns are very unhygienic and can seriously damage cartilage. And there are obviously some places they wouldn't work very well," Reid said. 

Hotch nodded. "Would you be willing to look at the other victims and see if there any patterns to the piercings?"

"Of course."

Pulling out the other files, Hotch handed the relevant photos to Reid, watching the other man study them. Reid's hair slid from behind his ear, covering the side of his face. Hotch resisted the urge to reach over and push the hair back. 

After a few minutes, Reid glanced up at Hotch and grinned. "So, um, does this count as inserting myself into the investigation?"

The question surprised a laugh out of Hotch. "No, I don't think so. Have you found anything?" Hotch asked, moving to stand beside Reid and look at the photos.

"Yeah. The same symbols—only on the first victims, there was just the astrological glyphs for the signs. As the killings have gone on, the symbols have become a bit more elaborate. Seems like they're taking their time."

"You think there's more than one unsub?"

"Most likely. The violence of the stabbings contrasted with the controlled nature of the piercing patterns and also, the care with which the bodies were dumped. I'm not an expert, it just seems like there's more than one—or maybe he's schizophrenic," Reid said, glancing away as he spoke the last word.

Hotch nodded. "Either one is a possibility—after all, why go to all the work of making the designs with the body piercings only to slash through them afterward?"

Reid looked at his watch. "Um, Agent Hotchner, I really should get back to the library. It's almost closing time and Kelly doesn't like to close on her own."

Hotch stepped away from Reid's side. "Of course, Dr. Reid. Thank you for your time and for your help. I'll be in touch if we have further questions."

"You're welcome and if there's anything else I can do, please ask." Reid stood up and left the room, turning to wave at Hotch before closing the door behind him.

Hotch sat down at the table and sent an email off to Garcia, asking her to check on Reid's alibi for the most recent murder. He expected it would check out. He then started making notes about his interview with Reid—he wondered at his reaction to the younger man; he'd been divorced from Haley for almost two years now and hadn't had more than a handful of dates. Hotch sighed and forced himself to focus on the report—he was here to catch a serial killer, not get a date. 

He was almost finished his report when Morgan and Elle returned. "Find anything?" he asked.

"Nothing that wasn't in the reports," Elle said. She frowned as she saw the outlines on the pictures of the victims and walked over to the board to get a closer look at them. 

"So, how'd it go with Dr. Reid? He our man?" Morgan asked.

Hotch's email chimed before he could reply. It was from Garcia; he opened it and as he'd suspected, Reid's story checked out. "No. For this last murder he was in Toronto and Vegas. His psych Ph. D. is in aberrant psychology—he specialised in serial killers. And apparently, he's good at noticing patterns and had no other involvement in the case, other than what Wilson had said."

"Hotch, what's this?" Elle asked, pointing to the crime scene photos.

"Dr. Reid's work. He noticed the patterns while he was sitting here—and there are similar patterns on the other victims. The patterns have gotten more elaborate with each killing. He also thought there might be two killers—and I agree with him. The violence of the stabbing contrasted with the care of the piercings and the post mortem treatment of the bodies makes it likely."

Elle nodded. "Yeah, it does make sense. But piercings? That's just strange."

"Reid said that the piercing method—needles—is used by pro piercers. They don't use piercing guns. So, we're probably looking for pros or guys who have at least had some training in body piercing," Hotch said.

Before Morgan or Elle could reply, Rossi, JJ and Wilson returned. As the three of them settled around the table, Hotch explained what Reid had discovered.

"Professional piercers?" Rossi asked. He took out his notebook and flipped through it. "Summer said that Kevin had gotten his eyebrow piercing done just a few days before he died—at a place called Perfect Piercings."

"I wonder if any of the other victims had piercings just before they died?" Morgan asked.

Hotch nodded. "It's something we can check out, but we'll have to wait until tomorrow. We should get Garcia to find out how many piercing shops/piercers there are in the area, as well. But I think we've got enough to give the profile now." Hotch said.

"I think so. Any more information we get from the other cases and Garcia can be added tomorrow," Rossi said.

"Sheriff Wilson, let's get your people together," Hotch said as he stood up.

Perfect Piercings  
Gallant, Nevada  
Same day, 8 pm

Remy Ferguson turned the sign on the door to "closed" before locking it. He watched as their last customer climbed into his car. He jumped when he felt his lover's hand grip his shoulder.

"Mmm. You like that one?" Carson Kennedy asked. He pressed a kiss to the back of Remy's neck, nosing through his dark curls as he wrapped his other arm around Remy's waist, pressing his body against his lover's.

Remy sighed and closed his eyes, relaxing into Carson's embrace. "Yes, I do," he whispered. "But isn't it too soon? Shouldn't we wait, what if the cops—"

Carson sucked on the skin of Remy's neck, marking him. "The cops around here couldn't find a hole in the ground with a map. Don't worry about it." He slid his hand under Remy's shirt, fingers stroking over his nipple before tugging sharply on the hoop that pierced it. 

Remy groaned, his cock getting hard as Carson played with his nipple ring. He turned around in Carson's arms. Carson pressed his mouth against Remy's, his tongue pushing into his mouth. Remy slid his hands around Carson's waist, sliding them under his jeans to cup the smooth flesh of his ass. They kissed for several minutes and as they pulled back for air, Remy dragged his teeth along Carson's lower lip, pulling on one of his snakebites roughly.

Growling, Carson ground his hips against Remy's, rubbing his cock against Remy's, claiming his mouth for another hard kiss. This time, when the kiss ended, Carson whispered, "Upstairs, now. I'm gonna fuck you into the mattress, baby." He moved his hand down to squeeze Remy's cock through his jeans. "That's what you want, isn't it?"

"Oh, god, yes, please," Remy said, waiting until Carson stepped back to start toward the stairs at the back of the studio that lead to their apartment. Carson stared after him for a moment, appreciating the view, before following Remy. They'd go and get their prize later on tonight.

 

Outside the Gallant PD  
Same day, 8:30 pm

Hotch walked outside into the now cool night air. The team had given their profile and he'd sent them back to the hotel—there wasn't a lot more they could do tonight. He'd stayed behind to finish up a few things and get Garcia onto finding any professional body piercers in the area. 

The hotel was only a couple blocks away and Hotch decided he'd walk—it was nice to have some quiet time; with the profile now out, there was a good chance they'd be busy tomorrow. He glanced across the street as he walked down the steps and noticed Dr. Reid locking the library door. Given that the library had closed a few hours ago, Hotch assumed Reid had been working some overtime.

Reid turned around and waved when he saw Hotch, smiling when the other man waved back. He watched Hotch start walking down the sidewalk and Reid surprised himself by calling out to the other man as he scurried across the street. "Agent Hotchner."

Hotch stopped and waited for Reid to catch up with him. "Dr. Reid."

"Where are you going?" Reid asked, then tried not to wince at his bluntness.

"Just heading back to the hotel. It's such a nice evening, I thought I'd walk, it's only a couple of blocks."

"Do you mind if I walk with you? You must be staying at the Gallant Empire—I live a couple streets over."

Hotch nodded. "I don't mind the company at all."

They walked in silence for a few minutes. "Have you had dinner yet?" Reid asked.

"No, we got a few leads and I didn't even think about eating. By the way, those patterns and your theories gave us a couple of leads, thanks."

"You're welcome," Reid said. "Ah, I was going to make some tacos for supper, if you'd like to join me. Nothing fancy…."

"You know, Dr. Reid, I think that's the best offer I've had all day," Hotch said with a smile.

"Please, call me Spencer. Dr. Reid makes me think I'm at work."

"Okay, Spencer," Hotch said. "And please, feel free to call me Hotch, it's what my friends call me."

A half hour later, and the two men were sitting at Reid's kitchen table, eating their tacos. "You said that Gideon had approached you about joining the FBI and the BAU. Do you mind if I ask why you didn't? You're certainly smart enough."

Reid glanced down at the table. "It's kinda complicated, I guess. I'm sure you know my mother is a paranoid schizophrenic," he began. "Well, she happens to be paranoid that the government—federal and state—are out to get her. When I mentioned Agent Gideon's offer, she got very upset and ended up having a bit of an episode. I couldn't do that to her—her only son working for the 'forces of evil' that she feared so much. And she's the only family I really have."

"I can understand—it must not have been easy for you, growing up with a mother who was mentally ill."

"I survived and thrived," Reid said with a shrug.

"That's more than most people would do," Hotch replied.

The two men spent the rest of the evening talking and Hotch found that he enjoyed Reid's company and conversation. He liked how animated Reid could get when the subject was something he was knowledgeable about—and there were a lot of things Reid was knowledgeable about. And then there was Reid himself—Hotch was attracted to him on a physical level as well. It wasn't a problem for Hotch, he'd been attracted to men before but he'd taken his marriage vows seriously and had never cheated on Haley. 

If Hotch were a different sort of man, he might have tried to seduce Reid for a one night stand but he wasn't; besides, he wanted more than that with Reid—although given that Reid lived in Nevada and he lived in Virginia, Hotch didn't think there was much chance of that happening.

It was almost eleven when Hotch realised how late it was. "I should probably head to the hotel and try and get some sleep."

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice the time—"

Hotch smiled. "It's okay, Spencer. I was enjoying myself."

Reid bit his lip and dipped his head, embarrassed. "Um, thanks, I did to," he said, looking at Hotch shyly.

"So how do I get to my hotel from here?" Hotch asked as Reid walked with him to the door.

"Ah, to get to the hotel, head east down the street and turn left, then make a right onto Lasalle Street—the hotel's about half a block up. You could go through the park, but the drug dealers and junkies tend to hang out there at night. Of course, you are armed," Reid said, looking at Hotch's gun.

"I'd really rather not use it. I'll stick to the main roads," Hotch said. He stared at Reid for a moment and then did something he normally wouldn't do, gave in to temptation—he couldn't leave without doing this. Leaning forward, Hotch pressed a gentle kiss against Reid's mouth. 

Reid froze for a moment; he'd been hoping for something like this but for it to actually happen, surprised him. He reached up, gripping Hotch's shoulders and letting Hotch deepen the kiss. 

After a few moments, Hotch pulled back. "I'm sorry, I—"

Reid shushed him. "It's okay. I…I liked it."

"No, I shouldn't have—I'll be leaving in a few days and—"

"And we can keep in touch—there's email, phone calls. Maybe nothing will come of it, Hotch, but it can't hurt to try. I really liked spending time with you tonight. I'd like to try."

Reid's words sent a small thrill of hope through Hotch. He hadn't dated since his divorce from Haley almost three years ago…. "Long distance relationships aren't easy," he warned.

"Other people have made them work. We can talk about it later—even if it's after you go back to Washington," Reid said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Reid said. He reached over and kissed Hotch again, briefly. "You need to get some sleep and as much as I'd like you to stay…."

"I should go," Hotch said, smiling. "Good night, Spencer."

"Good night, Hotch," he replied, watching Hotch until the other man got on the elevator.

 

Gallant PD  
9 a.m. the next day

The team was assembled in the conference room, coffees at hand as they listened to Garcia on the speaker phone.

"Body piercing is pretty much unregulated—there's no central registry or database, so I had to do a bit of work. But not hard work," Garcia said, with a smile. "In Gallant proper, there are three piercing shops—two of them also do tattoos, the other is strictly piercing. There's Cullen's—owned by Jack and Sara Cullen—both in their 50s. Rose Marie Tattoos and Piercings, owned by a lesbian couple—Charlene Smyth and Jackie Johnson. And finally, Perfect Piercings, owned by a gay couple, Carson Kennedy and Remy Ferguson. There are a couple people that I found ads for who do piercing on the side—John Nichols—but he's been out of the country for the past six months and Dee Findley, but since your profile specifies males…."

"Garcia, do you have dates of birth for Kennedy and Ferguson?" Hotch asked.

"No, but I can get them for you in a sec," Garcia said. A couple minutes later, she spoke. "Okay, Carson Kennedy was born on May 4, 1988 and Remy Ferguson was born on March 11, 1985."

Hotch nodded. "Thank you. So, Taurus and Pisces."

"The signs that were pierced into the victims, " Elle said.

"I'm liking these guys for the killings, although this was almost too easy," Morgan said.

Rossi grinned wryly and shrugged. "They don't all have to be difficult."

There was a sharp knock on the door and Sheriff Wilson opened it and stepped outside to speak to the officer. Moments later she returned and said, "We've got a man missing from a gay bar. His sister called and said he hadn't turned up and his car was found abandoned outside the club."

"Are we sure this is related?" Morgan asked.

"His sister said he got a piercing yesterday. At Perfect Piercings," Wilson said. "I'm not one much for coincidences."

"Neither am I," said Rossi. "I'm willing to bet if we check back on the other victims, they'll have gotten piercings there. At the least, we need to check them out, now."

"Do we have an address on them—home and business?" Hotch asked.

"Yeah, I know where the shop is—and the guys live in an apartment above it, it's near the outskirts of town. They wouldn't have a lot of neighbours," she said.

"Let's go," Hotch said and the team was on the move.

Gallant Public Library  
4 pm the same day

Hotch and Rossi walked inside the library. They'd wrapped up the case and Hotch wanted to let Reid meet Rossi, he felt it would be a nice thank you for the help Reid had given them on the case.

Kelly was at the front desk and smiled at Hotch. "Agent Hotchner, it's good to see you again. I hear you guys caught the killers."

Rossi snorted. "News travels fast."

"Well, you know what they say, if nobody's seen the troubles you've had, you're not living in a small town," Kelly replied.

Hotch chuckled. "That is true," he said. "Is Dr. Reid in his office?"

"Yep. Do you want me to get him for you?"

"I was hoping we could go down to see him."

"Okay, sure. It's the third door on the left," Kelly said.

"Thanks, Kelly," Hotch said before leading Rossi down the hallway. Reid's door was partially open, so Hotch knocked. "Spencer?"

Reid looked up, surprised to see Hotch standing in his doorway. "Hotch, what are you doing here?"

"I said I'd try to arrange for you to meet David Rossi, so here he is," Hotch said, grinning as Reid noticed Rossi standing beside him.

Reid stared for a few moments, then shook his head. "Where are my manners? Come in," he said. He got up from his desk and walked around to greet Rossi. "It's such a pleasure to meet you, Agent Rossi. I've read all of your books," Reid said, reaching out to shake Rossi's hand. He gestured to the chairs, "Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink—coffee?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Hotch said, sitting down.

"It's gotta be better than the dreck they've got at the PD. I'll have some coffee, thanks," Rossi replied. "I take it black."

Reid poured a cup for Rossi before getting himself one. He leaned against the edge of his desk. "I take it you caught the killers?"

Rossi nodded. "Yes—a couple of local piercers, Carson Kenney and Remy Ferguson. They'd abducted another man last night but we got to them before they were able to cause him serious harm."

"Carson and Remy—wow, they seemed so…normal. But I guess that's what most people say," Reid said.

"You knew them?" Hotch asked.

"Only in a professional capacity," Reid said. At the surprised looks on Hotch and Rossi's faces, Reid added, "My profession, not theirs."

Hotch nodded. "I see. Catching those patterns really DID help us out, Spencer, it certainly sped things up in the case."

"I'm glad I could help," Reid said with a shrug. He glanced almost shyly at Rossi. "Um, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about some of your work?"

Rossi nodded. "Go for it."

Hotch listened to the two men talk, smiling at Reid's enthusiasm. He'd meant what he'd told Reid the night before—that he would be an asset to the BAU. After 45 minutes, Hotch looked at his watch. "I hate to cut this short, but we really do need to head out."

"That's okay—thank you both so much," Reid said.

Rossi stood and shook Reid's hand again before handing Reid his card. "Feel free to email me if you have any more questions, Dr. Reid. It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Wow, thanks! Although I do tend to have a lot of questions, you might regret your offer."

"I don't think so," Rossi said, waiting near the door for Hotch.

Hotch shook Reid's hand as well. "Thanks, again, for your help, and, please, keep in touch."

"I will," Reid said, watching the two men leave his office.

 

BAU Offices  
Washington, DC  
Six months later

Hotch was reviewing a consult that he'd prepared when there was a knock on his door. "Yes?" he said, without looking up.

"Um, hi. Is it alright if I come in?"

Hotch looked up, surprised—and happy to see Reid. He smiled at Reid as he stood up and walked around his desk. "Of course, come in, Spencer." The two of them had been emailing and calling each other over the past few months and their relationship had continued to grow. "What are you doing here?" he asked, and gestured to the couch for Reid to sit down.

"I had a job interview at the Library of Congress yesterday—Assistant Librarian in the rare books collection," Reid said.

"Really? That's great, why didn't you tell me?" Hotch asked as he sat down next to Reid.

Reid grinned at him. "I wanted to surprise you. My interview was yesterday; they called me this morning to tell me I've got the job, if I want it."

"That's great, are you going to take it?" 

"Yes. I know we've talked about one of us moving so we could be together, but honestly, you can't do this job from Nevada. It was easier for me to move," Reid replied.

"What about your mother?"

"She's fine with it. Well, mostly fine—she doesn't really like that I'll be so far away, but she wants me to be happy. Even if I will, technically, be working for the Federal government."

Hotch chuckled. "I'm glad that she isn't too upset." He reached over to cup Reid's face. "And I'm very, very happy that you're here. I can't believe you're doing this…for me," Hotch said. He frowned. "What if this, our relationship, doesn't work out?"

Reid shrugged. "I'll still have a great job." Leaning forward, Reid pressed a gentle, chaste kiss against Hotch's mouth. "But I think things are going to work out just fine," he said.


End file.
